U.S. patent application number 17/043176 was filed with the patent office on 2021-02-25 for battery manufacturing device and battery manufacturing method using the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Chem, Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is LG Chem, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hyung Seok Han, Sang Myeon Lee, Jaewon Moon, Ki Hoon Paeng, Hyungkyun Yu.
Application Number | 20210057774 17/043176 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005209067 |
Filed Date | 2021-02-25 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210057774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Paeng; Ki Hoon ; et
al. |
February 25, 2021 |
Battery Manufacturing Device and Battery Manufacturing Method Using
the Same
Abstract
The present invention relates to a battery manufacturing device
including: a fixed roller that moves an electrode where an active
material is applied; a roller that rolls the electrode; and a
stopper that is disposed between the fixed roller and the roller,
and when the electrode is disconnected, moves the disconnected
electrode.
Inventors: |
Paeng; Ki Hoon; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Han; Hyung Seok; (Daejeon, KR) ; Yu;
Hyungkyun; (Daejeon, KR) ; Moon; Jaewon;
(Daejeon, KR) ; Lee; Sang Myeon; (Daejeon,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG Chem, Ltd. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
LG Chem, Ltd.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
1000005209067 |
Appl. No.: |
17/043176 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
October 29, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2019/014387 |
371 Date: |
September 29, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 10/0431
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01M 10/04 20060101
H01M010/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 20, 2018 |
KR |
10-2018-0143839 |
Claims
1. A battery manufacturing device comprising: a fixed roller
configured to move an electrode where an active material is
applied; a roller configured to roll the electrode; and a stopper
that is disposed between the fixed roller and the roller, and
configured to move the electrode when it is disconnected.
2. The battery manufacturing device of claim 1, further comprising
a tension sensor capable of detecting a tension variation of the
electrode.
3. The battery manufacturing device of claim 2, wherein the tension
sensor is configured to transmit a tension abnormality detection
signal to the stopper.
4. The battery manufacturing device of claim 3, wherein the stopper
is configured to move toward the electrode in response to the
tension abnormality detection signal.
5. The battery manufacturing device of claim 3, wherein the stopper
comprises a moving roller configured to move the disconnected
electrode.
6. The battery manufacturing device of claim 5, wherein the stopper
comprises a first stopper, a second stopper, a third stopper, and a
fourth stopper.
7. The battery manufacturing device of claim 6, wherein when the
tension sensor does not detect a tension abnormality in the
electrode, the first stopper and the third stopper are spaced
upwardly from a top of the electrode, and the second stopper and
the fourth stopper are spaced downwardly from a bottom of the
electrode.
8. The battery manufacturing device of claim 6, wherein when the
tension sensor detects a tension abnormality in the electrode, the
first stopper, the second stopper, the third stopper, and the
fourth stopper are configured to move toward the electrode, and the
first stopper and the third stopper are configured to contact a top
of the disconnected electrode and the second stopper and the fourth
stopper are configured to contact a bottom of the disconnected
electrode to thereby fix the disconnected electrode.
9. The battery manufacturing device of claim 6, wherein the fixed
roller comprises an unwinding unit and a winding unit.
10. The battery manufacturing device of claim 9, wherein when the
disconnected electrode between the third stopper and the fourth
stopper moves toward the roller, the winding unit is configured to
rotates in a direction that is opposite to a direction in which the
winding unit is configured to rotate& when the battery
manufacturing device normally operates.
11. The battery manufacturing device of claim 9, wherein when the
disconnected electrode between the first stopper and the second
stopper moves toward the roller, the unwinding unit is configured
to rotate in a direction in which the winding unit is configured to
rotate when the battery manufacturing device normally operates.
12. A manufacturing method of a battery, comprising: introducing an
electrode to which an active material is applied to a roller by
using a fixed roller; measuring a tension of the electrode by
operating a tension sensor; transmitting a tension abnormality
detection signal to a stopper by the tension sensor; holding a
disconnected electrode by moving toward the electrode by the
stopper; moving the disconnected electrode to connect the
disconnected electrode by the stopper; and connecting a
disconnection portion of the electrode.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0143839 filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 20, 2018, the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates to a battery manufacturing
device and a battery manufacturing method using the same.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Recently, interest in a price increase of energy sources due
to depletion of fossil fuels and environmental pollution has
increased, and demand for environmentally-friendly alternative
energy sources has become an indispensable factor for future life.
Therefore, research on various power generation technologies such
as nuclear power, solar power, wind power, and tidal power has been
continuously conducted, and interest in a power storing apparatus
for efficiently using energy generated as described above has also
increased.
[0004] Particularly, in accordance with the development of
technologies for mobile devices and an increase in demand for the
mobile devices, a demand for batteries as an energy source has
rapidly increased. Therefore, many studies on the batteries that
may satisfy various needs have been conducted.
[0005] Typically, there is a high demand for a prismatic
rechargeable battery and a pouch type of rechargeable battery that
may be used in products such as mobile phones due to a small
thickness in terms of a shape of a battery, and there is a high
demand for a lithium rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion
battery or a lithium ion polymer battery having advantages such as
high energy density, high discharging voltage, and output stability
in terms of a material of the battery.
[0006] The rechargeable battery is manufactured by accommodating an
electrode assembly having a structure in which a positive
electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between
the positive electrode and the negative electrode are stacked in a
battery case.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an electrode of a rechargeable,
to which an active material is applied. FIG. 2 is a side view of
FIG. 1 viewed from the A direction. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram
of a state in which the electrode is disconnected during a rolling
process of the electrode of FIG. 1.
[0008] Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, in an electrode 10 of a
rechargeable battery, an active material 12 is applied to both
sides of a metal current collector 11, and a rolling process is
performed to increase the density per unit volume of the applied
active material. However, a step is formed between a portion where
the active material 12 is applied in the metal current collector 11
and an uncoated region where the active material 12 is not applied,
and thus a stress is concentrated in the step portion during the
rolling process of the electrode 10, thereby causing the electrode
10 to be bent or to have a disconnection B in the uncoated
region.
[0009] When such a disconnection occurs in the electrode 10 during
the rolling process, the disconnected electrode 10 may be separated
from an original movement path, and an operator needs to stop both
the manufacturing device and related equipment in order to
reconnect the disconnected electrode 10, thereby causing a problem
that the operation rate and productivity of the manufacturing
equipment are significantly deteriorated.
[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can
fundamentally solve this problem.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0011] In order to solve the above-stated problems, exemplary
embodiments of the present invention provide a battery
manufacturing device and a battery manufacturing method using the
same to prevent an electrode from being disconnected in the rolling
process and to reconnect the disconnected electrode without
stopping the operation of the battery manufacturing.
Technical Problem
[0012] In order to prevent such a purpose, a battery manufacturing
device according to the present invention includes: a fixed roller
that moves an electrode where an active material is applied; a
roller that rolls the electrode; and a stopper that is disposed
between the fixed roller and the roller, and when the electrode is
disconnected, moves the disconnected electrode.
[0013] The battery manufacturing device may further include a
tension sensor that detects a tension variation of the
electrode.
[0014] The tension sensor may transmit a tension abnormality
detection signal to the stopper.
[0015] The stopper may move toward the electrode in response to the
tension abnormality detection signal.
[0016] The stopper may include a moving roller that moves the
disconnected electrode.
[0017] The stopper may include a first stopper, a second stopper, a
third stopper, and a fourth stopper.
[0018] When the tension sensor does not detect tension abnormality
in the electrode, the first stopper and the third stopper may be
spaced upwardly from the top of the electrode, and the second
stopper and the fourth stopper may be spaced downwardly from the
bottom of the electrode.
[0019] When the tension sensor detects tension abnormality in the
electrode, the first stopper, the second stopper, the third
stopper, and the fourth stopper may move toward the electrode, and
the first stopper and the third stopper may contact the top of a
disconnected electrode and the second stopper and the fourth
stopper may contact the bottom of the disconnected electrode to
thereby fix the disconnected electrode.
[0020] The fixed roller may include an unwinding unit and a winding
unit.
[0021] When the disconnected electrode between the third stopper
and the fourth stopper moves toward the roller, the winding unit
may rotate in a direction that is opposite to a direction in which
the winding unit rotates when the battery manufacturing device
normally operates.
[0022] When the disconnected electrode between the first stopper
and the second stopper moves toward the roller, the unwinding unit
may rotate in a direction in which the winding unit rotates when
the battery manufacturing device normally operates.
[0023] A battery manufacturing method using the battery
manufacturing device according to the present invention
includes:
[0024] introducing an electrode to which an active material is
applied to a roller by using a fixed roller;
[0025] measuring a tension of the electrode by operating a tension
sensor;
[0026] transmitting a tension abnormality detection signal to a
stopper by the tension sensor;
[0027] holding a disconnected electrode by moving toward the
electrode by the stopper;
[0028] moving the disconnected electrode to connect the
disconnected electrode by the stopper; and
[0029] connecting a disconnection portion of the electrode.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an electrode of a rechargeable,
to which an active material is applied.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 viewed from the A
direction.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a state in which the
electrode is disconnected during a rolling process of the electrode
of FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a battery manufacturing device
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 illustrate a battery manufacturing method
according to another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0035] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily
practice the present invention. The present invention may be
embodied in many different forms, and should not be construed as
limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein.
[0036] In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary,
the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or
"comprising" will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated
elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.
[0037] In addition, throughout the specification, the phrase "top
plan view" means that a target part is vertically viewed from the
tope.
[0038] In addition, throughout the specification, the phrase
"cross-sectional view" means that a target part is viewed from the
side.
[0039] In addition, throughout the specification, "top (surface)"
of the electrode means a surface located in the opposite direction
of gravity, and "bottom (surface)" of the electrode means the
surface located opposite to the top surface.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a battery manufacturing device
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 4, a battery manufacturing device 100
includes an unwinding unit 101, a winding unit 102, rollers 109, a
first stopper 103, a second stopper 104, a third stopper 105, and a
fourth stopper 106. The roller 109 is disposed between the
unwinding unit 101 and the winding unit 102 to roll an electrode 10
that moves to the winding unit 102 from the unwinding unit 101. The
structure of the roller 109 is not particularly limited, but may
be, for example, a roller capable of compressing the surface of the
electrode 10.
[0042] While the manufacturing device 100 normally operates, a
constant tension may be maintained at the electrode 10 between the
unwinding unit 101 and the winding unit 102. The manufacturing
device 100 may include a first tension sensor 107 and a second
tension sensor 108 that detect tension.
[0043] The first tension sensor 107 may be located between the
unwinding unit 101 and the first stopper 103 and second stopper
104, and the second tension sensor 108 may be located between the
winding unit 102 and the third stopper 105 and fourth stopper
106.
[0044] The first tension sensor 107 may transmit a tension
abnormality detection signal to the first stopper 103 and the
second stopper 104 when the tension is out of a threshold range.
Similarly, the second tension sensor 108 may transmit a tension
abnormality detection signal to the third stopper 105 and the
fourth stopper 106. The tension abnormality detection signal can be
transmitted to the first stopper 103, the second stopper 104, the
third stopper 105, and the fourth stopper 106 by wire or
wirelessly.
[0045] As long as the change in the tension can be accurately
sensed, the tension sensor is not particularly limited, and for
example, the first tension sensor 107 and the second tension sensor
108 may each be a load cell. Since the operation principle of the
load cell is already known in the art, a description thereof will
be omitted. An operator may select an appropriate load cell in
consideration of the tension range maintained at the electrode 10
and use it as the first tension sensor 107 and the second tension
sensor 108.
[0046] The first stopper 103 and the second stopper 104 may be
formed between the unwinding unit 101 and the roller 109 at a
portion of the electrode 10 which is introduced into the rollers
109. A third stopper 105 and a fourth stopper 106 may be formed
between the winding unit 102 and the roller 109 at a portion of the
electrode 10 discharged from the rollers 109.
[0047] When disconnection does not occur in the electrode 10 and
the battery manufacturing device 100 operates normally, the first
stopper 103 may be spaced upwardly from an upper surface of the
electrode 10. The second stopper 104 may be spaced downward from
the lower surface of the electrode 10. Likewise, the third stopper
105 can be spaced upwardly from the upper surface of electrode 10.
The fourth stopper 106 may be spaced downward from the lower
surface of the electrode 10.
[0048] In addition, when the first tension sensor 107 and the
second tension sensor 108 receive a tension abnormality detection
signal, the first stopper 103, the second stopper 104, the third
stopper 105, and the fourth stopper 016 may move toward the
electrode 10, respectively. In addition, the first stopper 103, the
second stopper 104, the third stopper 105, and the fourth stopper
016 may include a moving roller 110 to press and move the electrode
10, respectively.
[0049] Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing a battery using a
battery manufacturing device according to the present exemplary
embodiment described above, specifically a process of rolling an
electrode active material, will be described.
[0050] FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 illustrate a battery manufacturing method
according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the stopper moving toward the
electrode side when a disconnection occurs in the electrode in FIG.
4, FIG. 6 is a schematic view of movement of the electrode by the
roller of the stopper in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a schematic view
that shows the disconnected portion of the electrode is
connected.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 5, when the tension of the electrode 10 is
out of the threshold range or breakage occurs, the first tension
sensor 107 and the second tension sensor 108 detect abnormal
tension, and the tension abnormality detection signal may be
transmitted to the first stopper 103, the second stopper 104, the
third stopper 105, and the fourth stopper 106. In addition, in
response to the tension anomaly detection signal, the first stopper
103, the second stopper 104, the third stopper 105, and the fourth
stopper 016 may move towards the electrode 10.
[0052] Specifically, the first stopper 103 moves downward and thus
contacts the top surface of the disconnected electrode 10 and the
second stopper 104 moves upward and thus contacts the bottom
surface of the disconnected electrode 10, such that the
disconnected electrode 10 can be fixed to prevent from being
separated from the movement path. Similarly, the third stopper 103
moves downward to contact the top surface of the disconnected
electrode 10 and the second stopper 104 moves upward to contact the
bottom surface of the disconnected electrode 10, such that the
disconnected electrode 10 can be fixed to prevent separation from
the movement path.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, moving rollers 110 formed in
the first stopper 103, the second stopper 104, the third stopper
105, and the fourth stopper 106 operate such that the disconnected
electrode 10 can move toward the rollers 109 while the first
stopper 103, the second stopper 104, the third stopper 105, and the
fourth stopper 106 fix the disconnected electrode 10.
[0054] In this case, the moving roller 110 of the first stopper 103
and the moving roller 110 of the fourth stopper 106 rotate along
the counterclockwise direction and the moving roller 110 of the
second stopper 104 and the moving roller 110 of the third stopper
105 rotate along the clockwise direction such that the disconnected
electrode 10 between the moving roller 110 of the first stopper 103
and the moving roller 110 of the second stopper 104 move toward the
roller 109 and the moving roller 110 of the third stopper 105 and
the disconnected electrode 10 between the moving roller 110 of the
fourth stopper 106 may move toward the roller 109. When the
disconnected electrode 10 between the moving roller 110 of the
third stopper 105 and the moving roller 110 of the fourth stopper
106 moves toward the roller 109, the winding unit 102 may move the
electrode 100 while rotating in a direction opposite to the
direction in which the manufacturing apparatus 100 operates
normally.
[0055] When the disconnected electrode 10 between the moving roller
110 of the first stopper 103 and the moving roller 110 of the
second stopper 104 moves toward the roller 109, the unwinding unit
101 may rotate in a rotating direction in which the manufacturing
apparatus 100 operates normally.
[0056] As an exemplary variation, when moving the disconnected
electrode 10 between the moving roller 110 of the third stopper 105
and the moving roller 110 of the fourth stopper 106 toward the
roller 109, the disconnected electrode 10 between the moving roller
110 of the first stopper 103 and the moving roller 110 of the
second stopper 104 may not move.
[0057] An operator may reconnect a disconnected portion C of the
moved electrode 10 by using a connection member. Here, the
connection member may be an insulating tape or the like.
[0058] With such a structure, the operator does not need to stop
the operation of the battery manufacturing device 100 to connect
the disconnected portion C of the electrode 10, and also prevents
the detachment of the electrode 10 due to disconnection, thereby
improving manufacturing productivity.
[0059] Those of ordinary skill in the field of the present
invention will be able to make various applications and
modifications within the scope of the present invention based on
the contents.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0060] As described above, the battery manufacturing device
according to the present invention prevents the disconnected
electrode from detaching in the rolling process by using a stopper,
and can operate the disconnected electrode without stopping the
operation of the battery manufacturing device, thereby improving
the operating rate and productivity.
* * * * *